The Distillation

"Psilocybin administered properly and under supervision can see a change in emotional well-being," said Barrett. "Meditation is also an established method."

The point? "One is pharmaceutical and one isn't," said Barrett. To find out their similarities, and potentially combine them as a treatment, his team are currently studying the brains of people with long-term Buddhist meditation practices by imaging their brain activity inside an fMRI scanner while they meditate. Participants are divided into groups for researchers to better determine the effect on meditation -- and their brain -- after taking low and high doses of psilocybin, or a placebo. The trial is currently ongoing, but preliminary results are promising. "It's too early to say, but so far we've seen positive effects of psilocybin on well-being and mediation practices." "Psilocybin could be a second-line treatment for patients who meditation doesn't work for," said Barrett.Another idea is the use of these drugs to help people explore their consciousness and improve their ability to concentrate -- and eventually meditate. "Psilocybin can be a gateway into meditation...to show you experiences and to have insight into yourself," said Peter Addy from Yale University School of Medicine and founding member of the Yale Psychedelic Science Group.

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